Crown of Dust - Hardcover

Disguising herself as a boy and hiding in the melee of the gold rush to escape her past, Alex endures alongside hardscrabble prospectors and raises suspicions in formidable proprietor Emaline, who extends protection around the unusual youth until an unexpected gold strike reveals dangerous secrets. 15,000 first printing.

Mary Volmer was born in Grass Valley, California and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received a BA from Saint Mary's College, California, before completing a Masters degree at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth as a Rotary Scholar. She is currently the Agnes Butler Scholar at Saint Mary's College where she is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and lecturing in English/Composition. This is her first novel.